Toy railway bridge



Nov. 2, 1948. E. M. WOODWARD 2,452,838

TOY RAILWAY BRIDGE Filed Feb. 21, 1945 Y Y 2 Sheets-Sheet l I n ventor Patented Nov. 2, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in minature or imitation bridges for a toy electric or mechanical train, and the invention has for its primary object to provide a knock-down structure of this character by means of which the parts forming the bridge may be easily and quickly assembled and which may be separated and stored in a compact space, when not in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bridge structure of this character including side sections between which the track for a toy train may be secured.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is strong and durable, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevational view,

Figure 2 is a top plan view,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken sub stantially on a line 3--3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially on a line 44 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged bottom plan view, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower girder of one side of the bridge.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates generally one of the side sections of the toy bridge and which includes a lower longitudinally extending girder 6 of channel shape in cross-section, having vertical posts I secured therein in any suitable manner, such as by means of screws, rivets, or the like 8, and to the upper ends of the posts are secured inverted, channel-shaped arch sections 9 in which the upper ends of the posts are received and secured to the arch sections by means of screws or the like l0.

Cross-braces II also connect the upper and lower ends of adjacent posts.

The tops of the arch sections 9 are connected in spaced apart relation by means of a cross brace 12.

A skeleton rail bed comprising side bars [3 5 for a toy track is secured to the inner surface of the girders 6 by means of screws or the like l4 passing through said side bars i3 and to the underside of the side bars it are secured the cross-ties 15 by means of screws, rivets, or the like I6.

The side bars i3 and cross-ties 15 thus maintain the lower edges of the sides of the bridge in spaced apart relation.

A reinforcing block I? is positioned in the channel of each of the girders 6 adjacent the ends thereof and is held in place by one of the screws 8.

The sides of the bridge including the girders 5, top members or girders 9, posts I, and braces H are attached to each other to form a unitary structure and the upper edges of the two side members are then connected in spaced apart relation by the cross member l2, and the side bars l3 and cross-ties l5 then secured between the girders 6 at the lower edges of the side members, and the bridge is then complete. A toy track (not shown) may then be placed on the bed I3.

It is believed that the details of construction and manner of use of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

A toy railway bridgecomprising a pair of side frame members, each including a lower girder of channel shape in cross-section, and upper sectional girders also of channel shape in cross section, said upper girders being inverted, posts having their ends secured in the channels of said upper and lower girders, crossed braces connecting adjacent posts, blocks in the channels of the lower girders adjacent the ends thereof to reinforce the sides of the girders, a cross-brace connecting the upper edges of the side frames in spaced apart relation, and a rail bed secured to the inner sides of the lower girders comprising flat side bars secured edgewise to said lower girders, and cross ties secured to the underside of said fiat bars.

ERNEST M. W OGDW'ARD,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,248,617 Chien Dec. 4, 1917 2,308,943 Tietig et a1. Jan. 19, 1943 2,366,848 Ferri Jan. 9, 1945 

